Potential of faeces for non-invasive assessment of Juan Fernandez fur seals and their environment
type: CreativeWork
description: The Juan Fernandez fur seal (JFFS) is a marine mammal endemic to the Juan Fernandez Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. The archipelago is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and has been identified as one of the eleven irreplaceable priority sites for marine conservation worldwide. As a result of overhunting between the 17, 18 and 19th centuries, the JFFS was severely reduced. Furthermore, it was presumed extinct by the end of the 19th century. Since its "rediscovery" in the early 60s up to current times, the JFFS population have evidenced a steady recovery. Today, it is an icon for local tourism and a great example of population recovery. Since 1995 the Chilean government has decreed a 30-year hunting ban, enabling an impressive recovery. However, the ban on hunting will only last until 2025, and it is unclear what conservation measures will be put in place after this date. Besides intermittent basic censuses, no further monitoring has been done on this species in the last two decades, to the best of my knowledge. Complicated logistics, inaccessibility, lack of funding, and human resources may partially explain the lack of research. However, in the context of the hunting ban coming to an end in less than five years, there is an urgent need to build as much knowledge as possible in a relatively short period to inform policymakers when deciding on the future protection measures for this species. Studying marine mammals such as the JFFS can bring further benefits. For instance, as high trophic organisms, marine mammals play an essential role in nutrient and energy transfer and regulating other species' abundance. Additionally, their long lifespan and extensive fat storage enable the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of liposoluble toxins. These and other characteristics have made marine mammals an increasing target for understanding and monitoring various changes in oceanic ecosystems, including the behaviour and effects of pollutants. However, adequate knowledge about the t…
abstract: The Juan Fernandez fur seal (JFFS) is a marine mammal endemic to the Juan Fernandez Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. The archipelago is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and has been identified as one of the eleven irreplaceable priority sites for marine conservation worldwide. As a result of overhunting between the 17, 18 and 19th centuries, the JFFS was severely reduced. Furthermore, it was presumed extinct by the end of the 19th century. Since its "rediscovery" in the early 60s up to current times, the JFFS population have evidenced a steady recovery. Today, it is an icon for local tourism and a great example of population recovery. Since 1995 the Chilean government has decreed a 30-year hunting ban, enabling an impressive recovery. However, the ban on hunting will only last until 2025, and it is unclear what conservation measures will be put in place after this date. Besides intermittent basic censuses, no further monitoring has been done on this species in the last two decades, to the best of my knowledge. Complicated logistics, inaccessibility, lack of funding, and human resources may partially explain the lack of research. However, in the context of the hunting ban coming to an end in less than five years, there is an urgent need to build as much knowledge as possible in a relatively short period to inform policymakers when deciding on the future protection measures for this species. Studying marine mammals such as the JFFS can bring further benefits. For instance, as high trophic organisms, marine mammals play an essential role in nutrient and energy transfer and regulating other species' abundance. Additionally, their long lifespan and extensive fat storage enable the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of liposoluble toxins. These and other characteristics have made marine mammals an increasing target for understanding and monitoring various changes in oceanic ecosystems, including the behaviour and effects of pollutants. However, adequate knowledge about the t…
author: Toro Valdivieso, Constanza Valentina
language: eng
keywords: Fur seals, Otariid, Microbiome, Host genetics, Heavy metals
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2021-11-30
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:06Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.86719